albrecht



March 3, 1964 H. J. ALBRECHT 3,122,968 INDEXING MECHANISM FOR FI SHINGMACHINES FOR GEARS AND LIKE 7 Filed Aug. 21, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. HANS \J. ALBRECHT m5 ATTORNEY March 3, 1964 H, J, ALBRECH3,122,968 I INDEXING MECI-LA FOR FINIS MACHINES FOR GE AND THE L. FiledAug. 21, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. HANS J. ALBRECHT H 15 ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,122,968 ETBEXING MECHANISM FOR FEHSEEQG MACHINESFOR GEARS AND THE LEE Hans J. Albrecht, Trumhull, Conn, assignor to TheFellows Gear Shaper Company, Springfield, Vt, a corporation of VermontFiled Aug. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 132,734 7 Claims. (Cl. 90-1) The presentinvention relates to an indexing mechanism which is to be used inconjunction with machines for finishing gears, gear cutters and thelike.

The present invention pertains to a novel apparatus for indexing inwhich a multiplicity of varying amounts of indexing may be selected atrandom prior to or during a finishing operation.

Therefore it is the principal object of the present invention to providean indexing mechanism in which a variety of indexes may be selected.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an indexingmechanism in which a variety of indexes may be obtained by a simplemechanical adjustment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an indexingmechanism in which a variety of indexes may be obtained without anydisassembly of the machine to alter gearing or to change index plates.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an index mechanismin which a variety of indexes may be obtained without the use of amultiplicity of index plates.

in the present drawings the invention is shown for illustrative purposesin conjunction with a grinding machine and with a toothed member inposition to be worked on by the grinding wheel of the machine.

In the specification like reference characters designate the same partswherever they occur in all the drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of the present invention illustrating therelative position of the work and finishing tool and the mechanism forindexing the work.

FIGURE 2 is a view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1 showing the crank shaftand pin and operating lever and yoke.

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on 'line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 showing the lever andcam which effect the advancement and retraction of the locking pin orplunger.

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 showing the cam and theroller to control the braking effect.

EGURE 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG- UR-E 1 showing the crankhead and crank pin.

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 1 showing the completebraking units and their mounting on the apparatus.

The mechanism of the present invention is housed in a frame 1 in whichare rotatably mounted two shafts, a crank shaft 2 and a drive shaft 3.

Adjacent to frame 1 is mounted a tool T with respect to which frame 1may be reciprocated on ways 54 and 51 as shown in FIGURE 1 by anywell-known means so as to bring a work piece W mounted on work spindle Srotatable in frame 1 into contact with the tool T.

On one end of crank shaft 2 an over-running clutch 4 which drivespositively in the direction of arrow A is mounted with a pinion gear 5.

Pinion gear 5 is positioned to mesh with a piston rack 6.

Piston rack 6 is housed in and reciprocated by a piston mounted incylinder 7 and which may be moved hyraulically or electrically.

On crank shaft 2 mounted next to over-running clutch is a cam 53 whichrotates to depress lever 9 which is rotatably mounted on drive shaft 3.Lever 9 has formed inte rally therewith a segment gear 1% which mesheswith a like segment gear 11 mounted on shaft 12. It will be obvious thatthe rotation of the lever 9 will rock segments 16 and 11 and withdraw oradvance a locating plunger or locking pin 13 which is fixed in arm 14.The advancement and retraction of locating plunger 13 is timed with therotation of work W and the feed of tool T. Rotation of work spindle S onwhich work W is mounted is caused by the rotation of lower spindle gear15 being driven by face gear 16 mounted on shaft 3.

On crank shaft 2 next to cam 8- a cam 17 is mounted which rotatesagainst roller 18 of brake 19 for a purpose to be later described. Onthe outer end of shaft 2 a crank head 2%) is mounted. Crank head 21) hasa crank pin 21 mounted thereon.

Crank pin 21 is positioned to ride in a slot at the forked end ofoperating lever 22..

Operating lever 22 is slideably mounted in yoke 23, and pinned to crankarm 40 by a pin 42.

Mounted on drive shaft 3 is a second over-riding clutch 24 which drivespositively in the direction of arrow B, the purpose and function ofwhich will be described later.

Mounted between lever 19 and clutch 24 on drive shaft 3 is a secondbrake 25 with a brake lining 26 as shown in FIGURE 6 which whentightened retards the rotation of drive shaft 3.

The brake cam 17 has a low portion thereon which through its contactwith roller '18 tends to permit brake 19 to rotate counterclockwise asviewed in FIGURE 6 about its pivot 27 which is fixed to frame 1. Thiswill release brake lining 23 from its engagement with shaft 2 to allowshaft 2 to rotate more freely. Because of such counter-clockwisemovement of brake 19 the lining 26 of brake 25 will retard the rotationof shaft 3.

A shaft 41 fixed to and protruding from yoke 2-3 is rotatably orpivotally mounted in block member 29 which rides on a way 3% of frame 1.One end of block member 29 has a screw 31 fixed to it.

Screw 31 threads into a complementally threaded sleeve 32 which isrotated by a knob 33.

Sleeve 32 has a gear 34 mounted thereon which when rotated actuatesgears 35, 36, 37, 38 which are fixed to rotate in frame 1 and actuatesdial 39. Dial '59 is graduated to indicate the amount of indexing of thework W.

When piston rack 6 is reciprocated outwardly by the piston in cylinder 7and when pinion 5 rotates in a counterclockwise direction as viewed inFIGURE 1, shaft 2 rotates therewith, cam 8 rotates therewith and isformed so as to depress lever 9 and at the same time rotate segments 10and 11 to retract plunger 13.

Then when piston rack 6 reaches its ultimate length of stroke after theindexing takes place it starts its return stroke at a time when cam 17has reached its high point against roller 13 and brake 19 clamps spindle2 and overrunning clutch 4 allows pinion 5 to rotate clockwise freely aspiston rack 6 moves backward into cylinder 7.

Clutch 24 is engaged when work W is being indexed. Clutch 24 mounted onshaft 3 disengages from arm 4% during one half of the rotation of crankhead 29, and engages on the other half of rotation.

As seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 it will be apparent that the advancement orretraction of yoke 23 and block member 29 on way 3i will adjust thethrow of crank arm 49.

For example, to move yoke 23 to the right as seen in FIGURE 2 will givea greater throw to crank arm 44} and thus increase the amount ofrotation of shaft 3 and gears 16 and "15 to thereby give a greateramount of rotation or index to work W. The amount of rotation of shaft 3and gears 15 and 15 will be governed by the axial position of blockmember 29.

The movement of yoke 23 and block member 23 to the left as seen inFIGURES 1 and 2 will cause a shortening of the throw of crank arm 4i andalso lessen the amount of rotation of shaft 3, gears 16, 15 and work W.

A selection of any particular amount of rotation or indexing of work Wmay be obtained by the rotation of knob 33.

The brakes l9 and 25 as shown are mechanical and functionsimultaneously. These brakes are not of a type of construction whichfunctions to effect a complete stopping of the rotation of therespective shafts 2 and 3 on which they are mounted, but instead areused to retard the rotation of their respective shafts in a sort of dragmotion in which a smoother function of the mecha nism occurs and inwhich there is no back lash or lost motion.

In FIGURES 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 the operating lever 22 is positioned in amanner similar to that shown in FIG- URE 1 in which the crank pin 21 islocated between the forked end of operating lever 22 at a time whencrank pin 21 would be at approximately six oclock if crank head 2t; werethought of as a clock face.

At this time rack 6 starts advancing outwardly from cylinder 7. Rack 6rotates pinion 5 and over-running clutch 4 is engaged so crank shaft 2,cam 8, cam 17 and crank head 20 rotates therewith.

Cam 8 as seen in FIGURE 3 is abutting against roller 43 of lever 9 andholding lever '9 in a depressed position. Bearing in mind that cam 8like all related parts on shaft 2 rotate in a ootmter-clockwisedirection it will be obvious that cam 8 moves from its high point to itslowest point thus allowing lever 9 to rise as its opposite protrudingend 44 is brought in a downward direction by a spring 45, which is fixedto frame 1 at one end thereof and to end 44 at its other end. When thisoccurs segments 10 and C11 tend to rotate and lever 14 advances plunger13 into meshing engagement with work W.

When rack 6 starts to advance cam 3 allows lever 9 to rise, cam 17 asseen in FIGURE 4 drops from its highest lobe to its lowest thus allowingshaft 2 to rotate freely since this low cam lobe allows rollers 18 andbrake member 19 to drop down as viewed in FIGURE 6 thus allowing brakeband 28 to move away from the outside diameter of crank shaft 2. Whenthis occurs as viewed in FIGURE 6 spring 46 tends to actuate brake 25and wrap around brake band 26 tight against shaft 3. This tends tostabilize or hold shaft 3 secure since shaft 3 is not rotating but in adisconnected state since clutch 24 became disengaged and over-riding asthe rack 6 started to advance.

The above conditions continue to exist until the cams 8 and 17 and crankhead 2% rotate for approximately 180. For example during the rotation ofcams 8, 17 and crank head 20 from the six oclock position of crank pin21 to the twelve oclock position, a distance of approximately 180 oftravel the brake 19 is in a deolamped position and brake 25 is in aclamped position, clutch 24 is overriding and clutch 4 is engaged.

As cam =8 rotates one quarter of a turn from the position as shown inFIGURE 3 it drops to its lowest point against roller 43 at which time ashas been previously described the segments 10 and 11 rotate to advanceplunger .13 into mesh with the work W. Next cam 8 rotates anotherquarter of a turn and gradually depresses lever 9 back to a positionwhereby roller 43 is riding against the high portion of cam 8. When thisoccurs lever 9 is depressed and segments 1! and 11 have rotated towithdraw arm 14 to remove plunger 13 from meshing engagement with thework teeth thereby getting ready for the indexing of work W.

Next it will be assumed that shaft 2 with crank head 26', cam .17 andearn 8 have rotated until crank pin 21 has reached the top of the strokeat or about a position which would be in the vicinity of twelve oclockon a clock face.

At this time clutch 24 stops over-riding and becomes engaged. The ro er3 How is in contact with a medium height lobe on cam 17. The mediumsized lobe is not igh enough to raise brake l5 enough for brake lining28 to retard the rotation of shaft 2, but yet this lobe is high enoughto lift brake 19 the small amount necessary to release brake 2-5 andwrap around brake lining 26 to free shaft 3 so that it can rotate toturn face gear 16 and work spindle 15 to index work W.

After the indexing has occurred and crank arm 40 has rotated to theextent of its throw and begins its return movement the clutch 24 becomesdisengaged and starts over-running.

The amount of index as previously described is governed by the positionof the axis of shaft 41 relative to the axis of shaft 3 and determinedby the advancement or retraction of block member 29 which in turndetermines the length of the lever arms C and D as shown in FIGURE 2.

After indexing has occurred rack 6 will be at the end of its length ofreciprocation and cam :17 will have rotated until its highest lobe is incontact with roller 18 at which time brake 19 engages and brake lining28 tightens against shaft 2. and holds it enough so that when clutch 4starts over-running as rack 6 starts retracting the pinion 5 can rotatefreely in mesh with rack 6.

The retraction of rack 6 is substantially instantaneous and during whichtime nothing occurs except the retarded rotation of shaft 2 has allowedcam 17 to rotate past roller 18 to a position as shown in FIGURE 4 andthe previously described cycle occurs again. 7

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the presentinvention may be used in a variety of ways on a variety of gearfinishing machines, and that any machines electrical system may be usedto incorporate a well known timing relay in conjunction with the presentapparatus whereby a pre-selector on the present invention can be changedto any given number, at which time a signal may be relayed to the wellknown commercial timing mechanism which counts down with the apparatuspre-selector so that at the end of the given number the electrical tim-'ing mechanism will time itself out and function to cause a break in theordinary electrical circuit thus stopping the machine. a

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: V V 1. In adevice of the character described, a finishing tool for gears and thelike, a frame mounted adjacent to said finishing tool for movementrelative thereto, a Work spindle rotatable in said frame, means toperiodically rotate said work spindle so as to bring different portionsof a Work piece mounted on said work spindle into posi tion to beengaged by said tool, said means including a' crank head, rotating meansfor said crank head, an operating lever connected to said crank head, adrive shaft geared to said work spindle, means connecting said operatinglever to said drive shaft, and means to vary and adjust the amount ofrotation given to said work spindle, said last named means including apivotalmounting in said frame for said operating lever and means tochange the distance between said pivotal mounting and said Y crank head.

2. In a device of the character described, a finishing tool for gearsand the like, a frame mounted adjacent to said finishing tool formovement relative thereto, a work 7 spindle rotatably mounted in saidframe, means to periodically rotate said work spindle so as to bringdifferent portions of a work piece mounted on said work spindle i intoposition to be engaged by said finishing tool, said said operatinglever, a pivotal mounting joining said operating lever to said frame,and means to change the locaj tion of said pivotal mounting relative tothe ends of said} lever whereby the ratio of the distance between thetwo? connected ends of said operating lever and its pivotal mounting maybe varied.

3. A device of the character described in claim 2 having a brake membermounted on said crank shaft and means to actuate said brake member intimed relation to the rotation of said crank shaft.

4. A device of the character described in claim 2 having a brake membermounted on said drive shaft and means to actuate said brake member intimed relation to the rotation of said crank shaft.

5. A device of the character described in claim 2 having a brake membermounted on said crank shaft, a second brake member mounted on said driveshaft and means to actuate said brake members in timed relation to eachother.

6. A device of the character described in claim 2 having a brake membermounted on said crank shaft, a second brake member mounted on said driveshaft and means to actuate said brake members in timed relation to eachother and to the rotation of said crank shaft.

7. A device of the character described in claim 2 having a locking pinmovably mounted on said frame for movement into engagement with saidWork piece mounted on said Work spindle and means to advance and retractsaid locking pin to and from said engagement in timed relation to therotation of said crank shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS757,696 Twining Apr. 19, 1904 2,376,465 Wildhaber May 22, 1945 2,707,446McCutchen May 3, 1955 2,902,889 Trechsel Sept. 8, 1959

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, A FINISHING TOOL FOR GEARS AND THE LIKE, A FRAME MOUNTED ADJACENT TO SAID FINISHING TOOL FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, A WORK SPINDLE ROTATABLE IN SAID FRAME, MEANS TO PERIODICALLY ROTATE SAID WORK SPINDLE SO AS TO BRING DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF A WORK PIECE MOUNTED ON SAID WORK SPINDLE INTO POSITION TO BE ENGAGED BY SAID TOOL, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A CRANK HEAD, ROTATING MEANS FOR SAID CRANK HEAD, AN OPERATING LEVER CONNECTED TO SAID CRANK HEAD, A DRIVE SHAFT GEARED TO SAID WORK SPINDLE, MEANS CONNECTING SAID OP- 